


Deal with the Devil

by Black_Dwarf



Series: Pact with the Devil-verse [1]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Can be read as gen is you wish and ignore parts 2 and 3, Canon Continuation, Canon Relationships, Canonical Character Death, Fan art would be awesome!, Gen, Plot, Post Season 1, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Reggie-centric (Julie and The Phantoms)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:54:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 11,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26880217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Dwarf/pseuds/Black_Dwarf
Summary: After the magical group hug everything seems to be fine. That is until Caleb shows up again with a few new tricks up his sleeve. When he starts to possess a person close to them, things take a dark turn.
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Luke Patterson/Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms)
Series: Pact with the Devil-verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983400
Comments: 82
Kudos: 223





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yeoyou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeoyou/gifts).



> So here it is - my very first fanfiction ever. Something about this wonderful show just inspired me and since watching (and re-watching) season 1, I’ve had all kinds of plot bunnies in my head. The result is this story that will attempt to imagine how events could unfold from the cliffhanger ending we got. 
> 
> This will also be set in an alternate universe in as much as I will not be dealing with the currently ongoing worldwide pandemic because I need my escapism to actually be escapism. That said I feel like the tone of this story is somewhat darker than the tone of the actual show. There is some emotional pain that these characters need to work through and this story will be reflective of that. So be mindful of that. 
> 
> While I love every single character on this show I’m definitely a Reggie fan and as such have spent quite a lot of time trying to imagine what his home life could have been like. Hence, this story will also deal heavily with those ideas and will probably be somewhat Reggie-centric. That said, I will try to give every character their fair share as well as explore most of their backgrounds further. I’m also not a native speaker and I haven’t been a teenager for a long time so I’m hoping I can do the characters and their voices justice. 
> 
> I’m forever grateful for the amazing Yeoyou for supporting me in this endeavour, for encouraging me to post this in the first place and for agreeing to be my Beta reader.

* * *

**Prologue**

It had taken him months to find the house. Out in the suburbs, white picket fence—it was picture perfect. He‘d almost forgotten his grandparents existed. They and their daughter—his mother—had not been close. Their daughter‘s teenage pregnancy, a source of great shame and disappointment. He‘d only seen them once in his life when he was twelve. An ill-fated attempt to reconnect, that had left his mother crying for days. The shouting matches between his parents had only increased after that.

Now he stood in front of his grandparents’ home, unsure what to do. How could this possibly help him to find his parents? His grandparents clearly hadn’t cared about his mom and dad.

He took one last shaky (and quite unnecessary) breath and phased through the door. The house was silent. While money had always been an issue of discontent for his parents as long as Reggie could remember his grandparents’ home exuded wealth. In many ways, it reminded him of the frequent visits to Alex‘s parents (back in the day when he and his friends had still been welcome at that place.) 

Reggie looked around, feeling somewhat apprehensive, and froze. There were photos on the wall. That in itself was perhaps not unusual but the content of these photographs both shocked and surprised him. 

There was a photo of his mom. Both older and happier than he had ever seen her. On her lap sat a little girl of about five or six years. She had green eyes (her mother’s... _and his_ ), curly brown hair and a huge happy smile on her face. 

_He had a sister_.

On closer inspection, he discovered more family photographs. Another picture of his mom and her daughter (slightly older in this one) and a man Reggie had never seen before. And below that, a wedding photo of his mom and the same stranger.

There was no photo of his dad. Nor any proof that Reggie had ever existed. 

In the empty house a framed picture fell from the wall, the glass shattering into a million pieces. 

* * *

Reggie sat on the pier hugging his knees. Tears were spilling down his face. And he was angry with himself for how this affected him. He really shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d just been too stupid or naïve to see clearly. 

Secretly, he‘d hoped that his folks had taken his death as a reason to reconcile and grow closer. Moving somewhere to start over, forever mourning the loss of their only child. 

As heartbreaking as seeing his parents again had been for Luke, Reggie knew that realizing how much they had really cared, gave his friend no small degree of consolation. Especially after Julie had helped him to show his parents how much those feelings had been returned. 

So yes, Reggie had to admit that this was what he had hoped for himself. When (if) he ever saw his own parents again.

The truth was of course much simpler and more devastating. Reggie was the only thing that had forced them together. So naturally his death had presented them with a way out. And they‘d taken it, first chance they got. 

He stayed in his position for a long while, staring at the ocean as the sun slowly sank into the sea and vanished. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is - first chapter. I do hope you have fun with this. Thanks for the lovely comments and kudos. I was really hesitant to post this story so that gave me an enormous boost of confidence. :)

* * *

**Chapter 1**

“Excuse me?”

Julie looked up from the game of basketball she was playing with her brother. The summer holidays gave her plenty of free time. And with Flynn away on family vacation for the last three weeks there really wasn’t much else to do when the boys were not around for band practice or long writing sessions. Though the latter was mostly with Luke these days. _Not that she minded_.. A polite cough shook her out of her reverie and she looked towards the stranger that was currently standing under the archway to their backyard. 

"I‘m so sorry for the intrusion. I rang the bell but nobody answered."

Julie gave the stranger a once over. The woman was young. If she’d had to guess she would have estimated her to be in her early to mid twenties. Her long curly hair was tied into a ponytail. She looked harmless enough and there was something very familiar about the eyes that Julie couldn’t quite place.

"Again. I‘m so sorry for intruding." The woman hesitated. “Maybe I should come back later? When your parents are home?”

The mention of parents conjured up an image of her mother and Julie felt momentarily stunned. But the stranger couldn’t have known, so she swallowed hard and forced herself to smile. 

“No. It’s quite alright. How can I help you?” Julie looked at Carlos who had come over, eying the woman warily. 

The woman hesitated, then came a few steps closer. “This is going to sound a little strange I‘m afraid."

She grabbed the hem of her jacket nervously and Julie was once again hit with an odd sense of familiarity.

“Let me try to explain. But first—and I realize I probably should have led with that—you are Julie of _Julie and the Phantoms_ , right?”

The woman chuckled nervously and Julie felt slightly more relaxed. _Probably not a mad axe murderer_. She seemed genuinely nice. Though Julie still wished the boys were here for moral support.

“Yes that’s me. Are you here about a gig?” _That would be kind of perfect actually_.

The woman shook her head.

“No, I‘m afraid not.” She smiled apologetically. “I came here because of a personal matter."She took a deep breath and continued. “Honestly, where are my manners. Let me introduce myself. My name is Kate. And I‘m here about the group of boys you perform with.” She hesitated briefly. “You see ... I can’t shake the feeling that I know them."

A sense of dread washed over Julie. She eyed the woman apprehensively. She was what, 25, 26 at most? There was absolutely no way she‘d met _Sunset Curve_. Probably a case of mistaken identities. It had to be! Julie looked at her brother who was staring at the stranger. He was tense. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"Carlos, could you give me a minute with Kate? I‘ll be right in. Dad should be back any minute now anyway.” 

The last part was completely untrue and mostly for Kate‘s benefit. Perhaps the axe-murderer wasn’t entirely off the table, yet. Better to be safe than sorry. To his credit (and Julie‘s great relief) Carlos nodded and turned towards the house. The expression on his face spoke volumes though _Call me when you need me Sis. I‘ll be there with the baseball bat._

Kate had eyed the exchange slightly bemused. Once Julie‘s focus was back on her she stepped closer and opened the messenger bag she’d slung across her shoulders, slowly, so as not to startle her. She took out a CD and a small photograph and handed them over to Julie.

Julie took a closer look. It was the _Sunset Curve_ promo CD. The same one that her mother had kept in her studio. The photograph was of a small boy and his mother. The woman looked at the camera smiling, but there was a tightness around her eyes. Her smile a little too forced and sad. The boy, in contrast, stared into the camera with a big open grin, front tooth missing and green eyes sparkling. He couldn’t be older than four or five but Julie recognized him instantly.

“Perhaps you should come inside.”

* * *

  
  


“I‘m not quite sure how to do this." Kate smiled shyly and took the mug of coffee Julie handed her. She looked at it lost in thought. 

“Perhaps I should just start at the beginning." Kate broke the moment of silence with some difficulty. _"_ When I was fifteen I discovered that I‘d had a half-brother. You see, I knew that my mother had been married before she met my dad but it was never discussed and I had never actually met her ex-husband." She halted and took a sip from the coffee. 

Julie listened intently. She had never heard the guys talking about Reggie‘s past. Just vaguely knew that none of the boys had exactly been happy with their home life. 

Kate took a deep breath and continued. “I hadn’t been aware they had a child. And neither my parents nor my grandparents ever wanted to discuss the subject of my mother’s previous marriage. So I always felt it wouldn’t be a good idea to pry. That is until the day I found a box of photographs in our attic. It was full of pictures of a boy, in various stages of his life, and my mother was in many of these photographs as well. There was also a CD…" At that Kate nodded in the direction of the Sunset Curve album that Julie had placed on the table beside her. "...and a ticket stamp from a concert at the Orpheum in 1995." Kate continued. “Naturally, I confronted my mother about what I’d found.”

Kate swallowed, the next part clearly conjuring up emotions of what that confrontation had been like. _"_ My mother broke down in tears and told me about the son she had lost … the boy in the photographs, Reggie. He ran away from home when he was seventeen … and he died only a few months later together with his two best friends. My mother said that he was a talented musician. That the group he was in, _Sunset Curve_ , could have made it big…" Kate finally stopped, a tear was running down her cheek. 

Julie waited with baited breath. As heartbreaking as all of this was, she still wasn’t sure why Kate was here _now_. And what she hoped to find.

“Ever since I stumbled upon that box, I‘ve started listening to their music regularly. I know his voice; I know all their voices." At that Kate fixed her eyes on Julie. “So imagine my surprise when I recognized those same voices during a concert at the Orpheum years later. And not just the voices." At that she took out another photograph and handed it over to Julie. It was of the band—Reggie, Luke, Alex, and Bobby—with their hands around each other and smiling happily into the camera. 

Julie stared at the photo unable to speak. “The boys in your band, they look exactly the same. They sound the same. How is that possible?” She looked at Julie with a mixture of hope and fear in her eyes.

Julie‘s mind was reeling. What should she say? She‘d love for Reggie to be able to reunite with his family, but she couldn’t just tell Kate that the boys were actually ghosts. She needed time.

Julie took a deep breath and finally spoke. “That‘s a lot to take in." She hesitated briefly. “But this isn‘t just about me. I need to talk to the guys. Let me try to figure out what’s going on. They aren’t available right now." That part at least was entirely true. “So just give me a few days to figure this out, okay? _”_

To her relief Kate nodded. “Of course! I understand that this is a lot to process and that you couldn’t have been aware of any of this." She took out a piece of paper and scribbled down a number. “Please call me when you find out anything." She handed the paper to Julie with a grateful smile. “I best be going now. I‘m so relieved that you took the time to listen to my story. Thank you Julie! _”_

  
  


Julie closed the door and sighed heavily. Good thing Flynn was back and Julie was spending the evening and weekend at her house. She had a lot of questions and could definitely use her best friend‘s advice.

* * *

  
  



	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So here it is - Chapter 2 :) - Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Watching Ray cook was his favorite part of the day. Excluding band practice, of course. Well, maybe. _Except that things had really changed lately_. Nowadays, Alex spent most of his time with his new boyfriend, Willie, and Luke and Julie were busy writing songs, _alone_. If he was being honest he felt a little excluded. Now that he thought about it the person he was spending most of his time with these days was Ray. All things considered that was a little sad given that Julie’s father didn’t even know that Reggie existed. Still, being around Ray made him feel safe. And watching him prepare meals for his family had become a sort of ritual for Reggie. 

After their successful gig at the Orpheum, Julie’s dad had celebrated the occasion with a special home cooked meal and realizing he‘d quite liked the experience, had started taking up online cooking lessons. Weeks (and about two packs of band-aids) later, he had mastered around a dozen new recipes and took great pride in preparing an elaborate meal almost every day.

Reggie was leaning against the fridge chuckling quietly as Ray‘s eyes hovered over the recipe and he muttered “half a tablespoon of cumin. Now where did I put that?” Reggie noticed the package on the counter and slid it over, carefully, once Ray’s head was turned. 

"Thank you!”

“No problem, Ray. Any time, buddy!”

Wait. Reggie froze. What had just happened?! He carefully looked over and found that Ray was looking at him. Not vaguely in his general direction but _directly_ at him. His eyes locked on Reggie‘s. 

_This is new_ , Reggie thought. And then slightly panicking. _What should I do_?

“Uhm hi?!” _Very smooth, Reg._ He thought to himself. _We‘re off to a great start_.

Ray smiled at him. Something was off there but Reggie really didn’t have the time or inclination to examine this more closely. Perhaps Ray was just confused why a teenager he‘d never met just popped up in his kitchen to help him cook dinner. Who wouldn’t be? Reggie was so startled that he only noticed belatedly that Ray was talking to him.

“Uhm sorry, what?”

Ray was still staring at him. “I said you’re one of the guys from my daughter‘s band, right? Thought you boys didn’t live around here?”

Darn, that was true. What should he say? He wished Alex and Luke were here. But he was alone and Ray was still waiting for an answer. 

“Yeah, that’s right.” _Well that answered part of the question at least. Baby steps._

Ray looked at him then shrugged and turned back to his recipe. He took an onion from a nearby tray and started cutting it up. 

Okay, that was a relief … but also, now that he thought about it, really, really odd.

What father of a 16-year old girl would just be chill with their daughter’s bandmate randomly dropping in at their house? And come to think about it, how long had he been standing here, watching Ray? Had Ray been able to see Reggie this whole time? Why only acknowledge him now? And there was something else. Wasn’t Ray right-handed?

“Who are you, really?”

The words had left his mouth, seemingly of their own volition, almost instinctively, but now that he registered the thought, he knew it was true.

Ray‘s head tilted up slowly and he fixed Reggie with a cold smile. No, this wasn’t Ray, Reggie was now absolutely sure of it.

“I thought you were supposed to be the slow one? Congratulations Reggie, you got me!” Whoever it was that looked like Ray slowly advanced.

Reggie was frozen to the spot. The guy knew his name, he knew him! Who was this? And then it hit him. Only one explanation really, though the thought left him reeling. _Caleb_!

“You really thought I‘d let you guys just go on your merry way after what you did?”

What was this lunatic talking about?

“After what WE did?!! You’re the one who tried to trick us into spending eternity at your stupid club. We told you no and you nearly killed us!" A sense of outrage momentarily eclipsing the terror, Reggie lashed out at Caleb. But the moment only lasted briefly. Caleb was still in Ray‘s body. What would he do next? And why the hell did this guy have the power to possess people? That just wasn’t fair! 

An angry look shot across Ray‘s features but then he schooled his expression, smile firmly back in place. 

“Ah well, perhaps you‘re right and we should let bygones be bygones.”

He gestured with his (Ray’s) hands and Reggie noticed that Caleb was still holding the knife he had used to cut up the onion earlier. Another terrifying thought crossed his mind. Could Caleb hurt Ray?

“Listen! I know we started out on the wrong foot. Perhaps in my excitement about getting you guys on my show I made a few mistakes.”

Reggie snorted in derision. Caleb put up his hands placatingly. “I assure you I didn’t actually mean to KILL you. You vanished from my club before you gave me the time to set things right. I‘d have lifted the curse of course.”

“Of course!” Reggie said, completely unconvinced. “Thanks for clarifying. I‘ll let the guys know you dropped by. And now you can go. Don’t call us, we‘ll call you!” Reggie honestly didn’t know where his bravado was coming from. He was still utterly horror struck at what was happening. But maybe, maybe Caleb would leave it at that. Perhaps he wasn’t lying when he said he hadn’t actually meant to kill them?

Another quick flash of anger then back to the terrible smile. _Then again, maybe not._

“Reggie, Reggie, Reggie,” Caleb admonished. “Manners! I‘m just here for a friendly chat. And I really think that you in particular should stop and consider my offer.”

 _Great,_ Reggie thought. _We‘re back at this._ Why couldn’t this dude just let it go? He opened his mouth to reply but Caleb beat him to it.

“I know what you’re going to say and you‘re right of course. Last time, I didn’t leave you a choice. My mistake and I do apologize for that.” He tried to look sincere but failed miserably. “But consider this. What DO you actually have here? What is this afterlife where you spent your time following around a middle-aged lifer?” The last word was spat out, almost in disgust. “Where are your bandmates … your friends? Looks to me like they don’t really care that much about you? Young love and all … I guess they can’t really be blamed …” He trailed off, still smiling at Reggie who felt like his stomach had dropped out. 

Another thought struck him. _Could Caleb actually read minds, too_?

“They‘ll be here soon. We have band practice.”

“Ah yes, the band. Of course …” Caleb took on a pitying expression and Reggie decided then and there that he never wanted to see that on Ray‘s face again. Ever! “But really the band only needs its main stars, Luke and … the girl. They write all the songs, they perform and ooohh the chemistry!” Caleb chuckled. “Aren’t you tired of living in their shadows? Are you even able to contribute to the songs? You know, forget about the others. Perhaps there’s nothing I can offer them … you on the other hand…”

Reggie stood frozen, very much a deer in headlights. How did Caleb know so much? How long exactly had he been possessing Ray? This had to end, now. Before Ray got hurt or Reggie did something he would later regret.

“Listen, dude. Save it! After everything you did, you‘re the last person I would trust to ensure a happy afterlife for us, for me!” Reggie stepped towards Caleb, hands balled into fists. A move the older ghost clearly hadn’t expected, if the look of surprise on his face was any indication. 

“Such bravado! But you should know that if you won’t listen to reason there are other means of persuasion. And I‘m not above using them if I have to,” Caleb sighed dramatically. 

Reggie had enough.

“Don‘t you dare threaten my family!” White hot rage overcame Reggie and he advanced on Caleb. Belatedly, he noticed that the lights in the room had started flickering, cupboards flew open, spilling their contents onto the kitchen floor. Caleb‘s eyes widened in surprise ... and was that a hint of fear?

Reggie grabbed Ray‘s shoulders, solid under his hands, and Ray‘s eyes rolled back, purple mist pouring out of his mouth. Then he fell backwards, his body passing through Reggie’s fingers. Concentrating hard and reaching out, he managed to hold on to Ray‘s sweatshirt, lessening the impact of the fall.

Ray was safe. They were safe. After the initial shock wore off, Reggie looked up and surveyed the mess in the kitchen. Dread settled in his stomach. 

_Caleb would be back_.

* * *

Caleb was reeling. What the hell had just happened? Going after the weakest, most insecure member of the group should have been a walk in the park. It was his speciality after all. Using people’s fears against them. Making them an offer they couldn’t refuse. Why was it all going so horribly wrong? 

Taking over the boy had done him no good whatsoever. And after a few agonizing weeks in highschool (how could these kids stand it?) he’d decided to move on to a more promising target, the girl’s family. Yet here he was with nothing to show for his efforts. When had things started to become so difficult? 

And how had little _Reggie_ , who had never once stood up to him, suddenly found the courage to do so now? And even more worrisome, how had he managed to drive Caleb out of that lifer’s body? THAT had never happened before. What kind of power did these boys possess? 

He thought back to the deal that had set all of this in motion and really started to question his (after)life choices. Who‘d have thought that this would be the outcome? 

Caleb reached for the bottle of absinthe that he had kept for special occasions. Well, special or not he really needed this now. He settled down in his favorite chair, absentmindedly swirling the green liquid in its glass tumbler and pondering what he should do next. Then, realization dawned. It was time to collect on a favor granted 25 years ago. He smiled and took a large sip from his glass. These boys wouldn’t know what hit them.

* * *

  
  



	4. Chapter 3

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Reggie paced up and down the room more than a little agitated. Alex and Luke sat on the couch staring at him. He‘d lost no time telling the guys what had happened once they were back, but almost regretted his decision when he saw his own horror reflected in their eyes. 

Alex was the first to recover from the shock.

“So he left Ray’s body when you touched him? How is that possible?"

“No clue.” Reggie had been pondering this question himself. How come he‘d been able to drive Caleb out? Had whatever Julie did to set them free somehow given them special abilities? If so, what else could they do? 

“We have to tell Julie!” Reggie finally stopped pacing and settled down on the couch between Alex and Luke. 

“No way, we can’t do that, man. She‘d be worried sick," Luke interjected, unsurprisingly. 

But Reggie had expected this and unlike last time he wouldn’t give up so easily. “We have to tell her! She _needs_ to know,” he replied rather forcefully, looking at Luke with determination in his eyes.

Alex had crossed his arms in front of his chest, deep in thought but now he came to Reggie‘s aid: “Reggie is right, Luke. This isn’t just about us anymore. She might be in danger. We don’t really know what Caleb is planning—” 

“Exactly,” Luke interrupted. “We don’t know! Let’s not worry her until we at least figure out what he‘s up to. I mean yes, he can possess people but it‘s still all about getting us to join his club!”

“Well, normally I‘d feel flattered that he cares so much but this dude really doesn’t know when to quit." Reggie‘s attempt at lightening the mood fell flat (the slight quiver in his voice not really helpful in that regard) and the boys continued to brood in silence.

Finally Reggie couldn’t take it anymore. “I still say we tell Julie. This affects her as much as it does us. Who knows who he will be possessing next! This is her family! She’s already lost enough...” 

They spent the next hour arguing back and forth. Eventually, Luke ran out of arguments and finally conceded that his friends were right. But he remained adamant that Julie should still be able to enjoy her weekend with Flynn uninterrupted. 

“She hasn’t seen Flynn in three weeks and was really looking forward to this weekend. Let’s give her that at least!” He turned his puppy dog eyes full force on his friends and Reggie felt a pang of _something_ (that he would in no way examine more closely. They really had enough stuff to worry about right now.)

”So," Alex sighed. “We all agree that we‘ll tell Julie once she‘s back." He looked pointedly in Luke‘s direction. 

“Yeah, okay,” Luke replied unhappily. “If you guys insist" _._

They fell quiet once more.

* * *

The boys spent the rest of the day and the next morning sitting in the studio lost in their own thoughts. Reggie kept popping over to the house, checking in with Ray and Carlos, his anxiety and worry clearly visible on his face, until Luke and Alex begged him to stop. 

“Reg, don’t worry! Ray will be fine. Caleb is only interested in us and he hasn’t really hurt Ray, right?" Luke tried to sound reassuring. 

“You can’t just follow the guy around 24/7," Alex pointed out reasonably. 

Reggie looked ready to argue, then reconsidered and slumped back onto the couch. This whole being stalked by a super powerful ghost magician was a real downer. 

They attempted a little jam session but found that their hearts weren’t really in it. 

Reggie and Luke flopped down on the couch, the latter staring at his notebook listlessly, while Alex remained at his drums lost in thought.

“What exactly do we do now? Just wait around until she comes back? Should we ask Willie for help?"

At Reggie’s last question Alex shook his head vigorously. “Willie has risked enough for us _._ We still don’t know why Caleb just let him go last time, I don’t want to drag him even further into this!” _I don‘t want him to get hurt,_ was left unsaid but, to his credit, Reggie didn’t force the issue.

Luke shuddered, “I don’t think we should go after Caleb..." 

“But we can‘t just sit around and do nothing… ”Reggie argued back. “Maybe…” An idea had crossed Reggie’s mind. It was a little insane and probably not very helpful but it would be a lot of fun. And a little distraction was exactly what they needed right now. “Let‘s go haunt Bobby!" he announced to the room with a huge grin on his face.

“I thought we were done with this?” Luke sighed. 

“Speak for yourself," Reggie replied, somewhat annoyed. “I say we can’t let him get away with stealing our legacy THAT easily. Plus there’s really nothing else to do right now and maybe we have some more undiscovered ghost powers we could use against Caleb!" 

While Reggie had told them the truth about what had transpired between him and Caleb, he’d left out a few _minor_ details—including the part where the kitchen had turned into a scene right out of a haunted house movie, which he then had to clean up before anyone could ask questions. (Half the tableware vanishing over night probably raised some eyebrows but that couldn’t be helped). _The whole thing had probably nothing to do with me anyway_ he reasoned. But secretly he thought that getting some clarity on that issue would be more than welcome. 

“Fair point," Luke consented. "Alright, let’s do this!”

Reggie got up from the couch, suddenly excited.

“So,” Alex interjected, “we just discovered that Caleb is even more powerful than we previously thought. That he‘s still after us and that he might be threatening Julie and her family. And our answer is to go haunt Bobby some more?”

Luke and Reggie exchanged glances. “Well if you put it like that …” Luke hesitated. Reggie just shrugged. “Pretty much, yeah!”

"I see. Just clarifying … Let‘s go!”

Alex jumped up from his drum set and poofed out. Reggie and Luke looked at each other, grinned and followed suit. 

* * *

  
  



	5. Chapter 4

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The smell of incense hung in the air, quiet psychedelic music was drifting over from a small speaker on the table and Trevor sat cross-legged on the floor of his living room, quietly humming to himself. Nothing like a beautiful, peaceful Sunday afternoon where he could just relax and contemplate all the blessings life had given hi——

A loud knock on the door interrupted his meditative musings.

“Daaaaad? Can you get that?! And tell them to get lost!!!” 

_No need,_ Trevor thought with a grimace. _At that volume they probably heard you just fine_. He loved his daughter dearly but she had her mother’s temperament. And that wasn’t a compliment. 

The knock was repeated twice more, even more forcefully this time. Who the hell was this? He really should have considered investing in some private security. _Even if rabid fans aren’t exactly a problem these days_ , he thought somewhat bitterly. The knocking continued and Trevor got up with a sigh. Let’s see who this was. And they better have a good explanation for messing with his moment of Zen. 

* * *

Trevor stared at the stranger in front of his door. Black top hat, expensive but old fashioned dark blue suit and a smile that reminded him of a great white shark. He hadn’t been aware that the circus was in town. 

“Yeah, can I help you?” Trevor’s tone left no doubt that being helpful was the furthest thing from his mind. “This is private property and I don’t think we have an appointment. If this is about a gig please call my age—”“Hello, Bobby! Nice to see you again, _”_ the stranger greeted, shark smile firmly set in place. “As you might have guessed, I‘ve come to collect.” 

_Bobby_ felt all the blood drain from his face. 

* * *

Bobby paced around the kitchen, reached out for the protein shake that had been left forgotten on the counter, hesitated, and then went straight for the liquor cabinet to pour himself a glass of ...whatever. Didn’t really matter as long as it was strong enough to numb his terror.

“What exactly do you want?” Bobby‘s eyes flickered briefly to the terrace where Carrie was currently sitting on one of the lounge chairs, enjoying the afternoon sun.

“Oh relax, Bobby, it‘s not that type of deal,” Caleb scoffed. “I‘m not interested in your first-born. And you might even get out of the whole sold-your-soul clause _”_.

At that Bobby nearly choked on the gin he‘d swallowed down to calm his nerves. “Sold-my-soul-clause?!” he croaked. 

Caleb smiled gleefully. Now this was fun. This was how it should be. 

“Yeah, I‘m afraid so,” he said with insincere regret. “But as I said, you might have another option. Just be quiet and let me explain.” 

* * *

Trevor closed the door behind his terrifying visitor and released the breath he had been holding. He felt completely numb. 

This entire situation was so unreal. When the man, _Caleb,_ was in his presence he‘d remembered everything as if it had happened yesterday. But now that he was gone his memory started to blur again. Or perhaps it was the copious amounts of gin he‘d consumed to get through the last half hour. Who was to say? 

He felt the beginnings of a headache creeping up and rubbed his temples slowly. Perhaps he should lie down. Maybe he could wake up tomorrow and go back to pretending that all of this had just been a dream. That he hadn’t actually caused his best friends‘ death through inebriation and sheer stupidity. 

Perhaps it was time to call Dr. Crystal again.

* * *

The boys crouched behind a hedge and looked up to the front entrance of the mansion. 

“Why exactly are we hiding? _”_ Alex asked. “It‘s not like he can see us.” 

“You know, that’s actually a good point.” Reggie looked at Luke questioningly. Before he could step out in front of their hiding place, however, Luke had grabbed his shirt and pulled him back, gesticulating towards the main house. 

Reggie looked up and froze. The silhouette of a man had appeared outside the door. A man dressed in an old fashioned suit, a long overcoat and a big top hat. _What the hell was HE doing here?_

They kept hidden until Caleb had well and truly vanished. 

“Honestly, you’d think that creep could dress less conspicuously,” Alex said with a huff. “So Bobby‘s a member of that stupid Hollywood Ghost Club!” Reggie stated to no one in particular. 

Alex and Luke looked at each other and shrugged. 

“Do we confront him now? _”_ Luke asked. 

“I don’t know.” Alex looked back at the house thoughtfully. “If he knows the club, he’s aware of ghosts and we probably won’t get anything out of him.”

“Didn‘t feel like that last time though, _”_ Luke chuckled. “I swear he was ready to pee his pants.”

“Let‘s come back tonight for some spooky times. Ghosts might not seem frightening in daylight. Let’s see how brave he is when it’s just him and us and the darkness.” Reggie rubbed his hands together a mad gleam in his eyes. “We‘ll get to the bottom of this.” The other two boys nodded in agreement. _It‘s payback time!_

* * *

  
  



	6. Chapter 5

* * *

**Chapter 5**

“I‘m not sure about this, Jules!”

Flynn lounged on a chair in her parent’s backyard and looked at her friend with a frown. Julie had spent the entire afternoon talking about her unexpected visitor and the story said stranger had told Julie about her family. _Reggie’s family._

“I mean, it sounds legit and perhaps it will be great for Reggie to reunite with at least part of his family … but it’s not up to you to decide.” 

Flynn had expected that she would be spending the entire weekend hearing about a particular ghost boy, just hadn’t expected it to be Reggie. Of the three members of _Sunset Curve,_ Flynn felt like she knew him the least. What little she had seen of him in their performances and what Julie had told her, _Sunset Curve’s_ bassist seemed fun, kind, and perhaps a little clueless sometimes. Or how had Julie put it? _Questionable._

Like that time when he had apparently decided to prove to Julie’s aunt Victoria that ghosts were real. Flynn had to admit that she thought the whole thing was funny but Julie was less than amused when the boys had finally confessed to what he’d done. 

All in all, he and his bandmates had adjusted surprisingly well to being dead. _A little too well perhaps_. But Julie had never disclosed anything that hinted at what Reggie’s life had been like before. Nothing to suggest that he’d come from a broken home. Of course, they’d never really talked about any of the boy’s past lives, except for Luke’s.

Julie looked at her and Flynn knew her friend well enough to know what was coming.

“You should have seen her, Flynn. She was so desperate for answers! I’d hate to leave her hanging. And it sounds like Reggie’s mom needs some closure as well … just like Luke’s parents did. But if I tell Reggie now, he might say no. I‘m sure Luke would have said the same thing, if I‘d told him about my plan to visit his family. And you know how important that turned out to be.” Julie looked at her friend pleadingly. 

“Maybe Reggie isn‘t as cool with you getting all up in his personal business as Luke was. Just saying … boundaries!” 

Julie opened her mouth to reply but obviously thought better of it. 

“Well, maybe I should talk it over with Luke and Alex when I get back.”

“That would probably be a good idea,” Flynn agreed. “After all, they know him best.”

Julie nodded but kept brooding until Flynn had enough.

She snapped her fingers in front of her. 

“Didn‘t invite you over to space out on me. There’s nothing you can do now. And the last three weeks have been a real drag without my bestie! How about you tell me what else I missed?” 

They spent the rest of the day talking about music and Julie told Flynn about a new song she was currently writing—a song featuring Flynn herself. Upon hearing that she would become part of the act, Flynn jumped up excitedly and hugged her friend fiercely. She‘d been afraid of intruding on this thing between Julie and the boys (well one boy in particular) but she would be lying, if she didn’t admit, that she had missed having her friend to herself. 

“Double Trouble is back _”_ she shouted excitedly. 

“Still not our name _,_ ” Julie chuckled, smiling fondly at her friend. 

Never mind, Flynn would convince her of the name in the end. No matter how long it took.

She‘d really missed having Julie around. 

* * *

  
  



	7. Chapter 6

* * *

**Chapter 6**

“Boooobyyy” 

Trevor woke up with a start. The room was pitch black. He fumbled for the lamp on his bedside table and found that it had mysteriously vanished. 

Now that he concentrated, he thought that he heard soft music echoing through the house. And was that laughter? He pushed himself off the bed and shuffled towards the door, fumbling with the handle in the darkness. 

Just why the hell was it so dark anyway? He usually left at least a few lights on in the house and the electric equipment should have provided enough of a lightsource to see by at any rate. But there was nothing. And why didn’t the door budge?

“Boooobyyy” 

There was the voice again. It seemed closer now. 

_"_ _Thief_ ” 

The last word had been hissed directly into his ear. Trevor froze. The room echoed with laughter. Then he felt a push from behind and stumbled through his bedroom door into the empty hallway beyond. 

Landing on his knees, he frantically pushed himself off the floor and stumbled towards the steps leading down to the living room. It was still pitch black. _Guess the electric blinds are working a little too perfectly,_ he thought with some regret. _Right about now, light pollution would be a real blessing._

On the top of the stairs he halted. It was quiet now. The music had stopped. He could no longer hear the voices either. He stood on the stairs with baited breath. Seconds, maybe minutes, he couldn’t really tell. But the house remained silent. 

_Maybe it was just a dream_? He thought about calling out to Carrie, but then he remembered that his daughter was spending the night partying with her girl band. Which usually meant she wouldn’t be back until the early morning hours. 

Well, it was quiet now. Perhaps he‘d just been tricked by his overactive imagination. He turned from the stairs to go back to his room. 

Then all hell broke loose. 

The platinum records in the living room crashed to the floor one after the other. Loud music erupted playing a familiar tune, and three voices rang out. 

Trevor covered his ears and fell to the floor. His bandmates, his friends were here. And they knew what he‘d done!

* * *

Reggie cheered, turning from the wall that he‘d just freed from the last evidence of Bobby‘s undeserved fame. Bass slung across his back he stepped through the broken glass and ascended the stairs. Luke and Alex right on his heels. 

They found their former bandmate on the floor. A complete nervous wreck. _That was fast,_ Reggie thought, feeling somewhat disappointed. _I was just getting started_. He felt something nagging at the back of his mind. Calling out to him. Urging him to release all his fury on his hapless former friend. He fought the impulse and looked down at the quivering mess on the floor. 

“I‘m sorry. I‘m so sorry _._ ” Bobby kneeled on the floor, hands covering his head, trembling. “I didn’t mean it! I didn’t mean it!” He started sobbing. 

Alex, Luke and Reggie looked at each other. That was a little unexpected. 

“Guess he‘s really sorry?” Reggie mused, ever helpful when it came to stating the obvious. 

“I didn’t mean to kill you! I‘m so so sorry!” 

The room went deadly quiet. The boys frozen in place staring down at their former bandmate——their former _friend—_ in shock and disbelief. 

* * *

  
  



	8. Chapter 7

* * *

**Chapter 7**

“He killed us! **HE KILLED US!** ”, Reggie paced the room, shouting, hands balled into fists. 

Luke and Alex exchanged worried glances. Reggie seemed beyond reason. The second they‘d recovered from the initial shock, Reggie had gone after Bobby and to both Alex and Luke‘s great surprise and horror, had actually started to choke him until they’d managed to pry his hands away. 

They‘d dragged Reggie back to the studio where he had now been pacing for what felt like hours, still raging and sounding increasingly unhinged. What was happening? They’d never seen him like this!

“Just calm down. What is going on with you man? _”_ Luke was the first one to speak. Whatever was happening with Reggie was freaking him out. Reggie’s head snapped in his direction, eyes blazing, looking ready to pounce. 

“Okay … let‘s just take a deep breath and talk about this. We can’t be sure what he meant. Maybe we misunderstood?” Alex tried to sound reasonable. Secretly, he didn’t believe a single word of what he‘d just said, but he was ready to try anything just to get Reggie to stop. He stepped towards his friend putting his hands up placatingly. 

“Misunderstood. MISUNDERSTOOD?!” 

Alex winced and halted in his tracks. 

“Because sorry for killing you is really open to interpretation,” Reggie spat out, glaring at Alex, who took an involuntary step back. 

The lights had started flickering, slowly at first then with increasing frequency. But neither Luke nor Alex noticed, as they were too focused on their friend and his totally uncharacteristic display of raging lunacy. 

”Listen!” Alex tried again. “Even if you’re right, it‘s not like it would change anything. Hurting Bobby won‘t bring us back!”

 _“_ Yes, that’s right” Luke jumped in. “Plus what we have here is really not so bad, right? We got a second chance at fulfilling our dream, with Julie!”

“Yes!” Alex nodded vigorously, “Let‘s not waste what we have built here on a pointless quest for revenge.”

“Easy for YOU to say,” Reggie bellowed. “You have Willie. And YOU, _”_ he whipped his head around to Luke _,_ “you have Julie. Being dead really worked out for you guys!” The last part was said more quietly, with a sneer and no small degree of contempt.

Luke felt himself growing angry now. “What the hell is wrong with you? Have you seen my parents? My death broke them!” 

“AT LEAST THEY CARED ABOUT YOU!!!” Reggie roared. Flower pots flew off their shelves, then the floor started shaking. Over their heads, a light bulb exploded. 

Alex and Luke grabbed each other’s hands. What was going on?! They looked at Reggie in absolute horror. His eyes had turned black. Suddenly the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. When they came back on Reggie was gone.

* * *

  
  



	9. Chapter 8

* * *

**Chapter 8**

When Julie entered the studio the next morning, she was greeted with a terrible sight. The room was in complete disarray, notes were strewn across the floor, broken glass and pottery was everywhere. Amidst the chaos sat Alex and Luke, unmoving, holding each other, frozen like statues. Reggie was nowhere to be seen. 

“What happened here? _ ”  _ Julie said quietly, numb with shock.

* * *

It had taken Julie a long time to coax the story out of her two friends. The events of the night had left them shellshocked. When they finally told her about Reggie, they‘d started to cry. 

This couldn’t be happening! What should they do now? There was no telling where Reggie had gone. The boys still hadn’t vacated the spot where she had found them, unable to move. She had to do something. 

“I‘m going to call Carrie,” she announced to the room in general. When she saw the confusion on their faces, she explained: “This whole thing started because of Bobby. I … I just want to make sure Reggie hasn’t hurt him.” 

The boys stared at her in shock. They clearly hadn’t even thought about that. 

Luke slowly pushed himself off the floor. “We can go check on—” 

“No,” Julie interjected, firmly but not unkindly. “You guys stay here. Let me handle this.” 

She stepped out of the garage to get some privacy. This was going to be difficult enough without the boys hovering over her shoulders. She took out her cell phone, sighed, then called up a number she hadn’t actually used in years. This was going to be  _ fun _ .

* * *

Ten minutes later, she hung up. The good news was that Trevor was apparently fine. Wherever Reggie had gone it wasn’t to finish off his former bandmate. 

The call with Carrie hadn’t been half as unpleasant as she‘d expected, but it hadn’t exactly been enjoyable either. And since she had needed a pretext for calling, she now had a lunch date with her ex-best friend. She sighed heavily. What had she gotten herself into? But then  _ Hey! Just wanted to ask if my ghost bassist has dropped by to kill your dad  _ really hadn’t been an option. 

Julie still couldn’t quite wrap her head around the whole murder confession! That didn’t fit the man she’d known almost all her childhood. But she chose to push back that particular thought to examine later … much, much later.

With another heavy sigh she stepped back into the studio to tell the boys the news and found that it was empty. Luke and Alex had vanished.  _ Like herding cats,  _ she thought bitterly. 

It was time to call Flynn. 

* * *

  
  



	10. Chapter 9

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**"** Hey!"Willie’s face lit up with a smile when he saw Alex and Luke approaching. When he noticed the looks on their faces however, he dropped it instantly. “What‘s wrong? Did something happen?”

Luke just nodded silently. Alex took a deep breath and began to recall the events of the previous night. Willie watched him and listened, concern growing on his face. When Alex came to the part where Reggie‘s rage had manifested in the studio, a look of horror crossed his face. 

“Oh no!” Willie exclaimed. He looked crestfallen. 

“Oh no? What do you mean ‘oh no’? What the hell is happening to Reggie?” Luke seemed ready to shake the answer out of Willie, but Alex touched Luke’s shoulder lightly to calm him down.

Willie looked at them sadly. “This will take some explaining.” He shot a wary look in Luke‘s direction. “Please bear with me **”** _._

Luke was about to argue again, that they didn’t have time for ghost tales, but when he felt Alex‘s hand squeeze his shoulder harder and saw the look on his face, he checked himself and remained quiet.

Willie took a deep breath to calm his nerves and began to speak: 

“You already know that some of us don’t cross over. Sometimes, it is because we chose not to. Like the ghosts in Caleb‘s Club … There are other places like that.” He hesitated briefly and Alex felt like there was a story there. But he didn’t want to pry and they really didn’t have the time. He made a mental note to have a talk with Willie, after all of this was over and Reggie was back where he belonged— _with them._

Alex’ eyes rested on Willie as the latter continued to speak.

“But some ghosts never find a place to belong nor any resolution to the things binding them to this world. Those spirits linger, unable to cross over … unable to find peace.” Willie‘s voice wavered, his eyes filled with emotion. Alex and Luke stared at him speechless.

“Now, in most cases these lost spirits are harmless. Drifting through the world and eventually forgetting what it was like to be human.” He halted; the next part clearly made him uncomfortable. “But in very rare cases, they become violent. The rage over whatever they were unable to resolve driving them mad—those are what lifers would call poltergeists.”

“What, like evil spirits?” Luke interrupted, huffing indignantly. “That‘s insane! Have you seen Reggie? He couldn’t hurt a fly!”

Alex would have agreed except he had actually _seen_ Reggie. And everything that Willie was telling them now made horrible sense. Dread washed over him. 

“So, how do we get him back?” Alex asked, hesitantly. This whole thing was so beyond anything he‘d ever experienced (and that included dying)! He really felt at a complete loss. The sad pitying expression on Willie‘s face only made it worse. 

“I don’t know that you can.” Willie whispered. There were tears in his eyes. “These things … they never end well. I never heard of the process being reversed.” 

Luke and Alex stared at him. They felt completely numb with shock.

“So what, we just lost our best friend and that’s it?” Luke gestured helplessly, distress and sadness written all over his face.

“I‘m afraid that’s all I really know. I never met one before … only heard about them.” Willie spoke quietly, a quiver in his voice. “You‘d have to ask Caleb if you need more information. Maybe … maybe there is a chance. If anyone would know, it would be him.”

He looked at his boyfriend, his expression full of sadness. “I’m so sorry Alex! I don’t know what else to say.”

Alex took his hand and squeezed it tightly. It wasn’t Willie‘s fault. 

“Caleb, again! Well isn’t that just _great_ ” Luke muttered in disgust. 

Alex silently agreed, but they were fast running out of options, Reggie needed their help, and it seemed Caleb was their only hope. _Fantastic!_

* * *

  
  



	11. Chapter 10

* * *

**Chapter 10**

The club was packed tonight. Ghosts and lifers alike basking in the atmosphere. It was nearing midnight and thus time for the final act of the show. But for once Caleb was too preoccupied to care much about that. He stood towards the side of the main stage and glowered at the man in front of him. 

“I don’t care what you do to me. I can‘t do this. I‘ve hurt them enough! I never meant for this to happen!” Bobby was shaking, anger mixed with grief and no small degree of fear. 

Caleb stared at him in surprise. What had brought this on? He‘d thought he had a firm handle on the situation and now THIS?! It was like the universe had decided to conspire against him. 

“Very well!” He smiled coldly. “If that is your wish! But I must warn you. This won’t be pleasant—” 

Whatever else he‘d planned to say was drowned out by a sudden high pitched wailing. The floor started shaking, lights flickered, once, twice, then the room erupted into chaos.

* * *

The club was a mess. Tables had been overturned, paper and broken glass covered every inch of the once impeccable ballroom. The grand piano and all the other instruments had been reduced to plywood. No piece of furniture was left unbroken.

“What the hell did Caleb do?!” Luke muttered looking at the chaos in disbelief.

“That wasn‘t Caleb.” Willie stood behind him, surveying the mess with a frown on his face. 

“Then what exactly happened here?” Alex had taken Willie‘s hand and stared at him questioningly. Willie didn’t reply but there really wasn’t any need. In truth they already knew the answer.

_Reggie._

* * *

Caleb sat deep in thought. This day had rapidly gone from bad to disastrous and it would take weeks to clean up the destruction the poltergeist had left behind. He had felt something familiar in the presence but didn’t get a good enough look amidst all the chaos and confusion, that had left ghosts cowering in fear and lifers running for the door. 

He was surprised nobody had been killed during all of it. He sighed. That at least would have been a plus, but such was his luck that everyone had gotten out of this unscathed. Only his pride and his property had been severely damaged. 

Of course Bobby had taken the opportunity to get the hell out of there. Well, all of this was just a temporary setback. He‘d deal with the mess in his club and then he would deal with Bobby. There was nowhere that hapless fool could run. Too much tied him to this city. 

He was so deep in thought that he hadn’t noticed that he was no longer alone. Startled (and inwardly cursing) he looked up to see the two ghosts he’d least expected to ever set foot in his club again; _at least not voluntarily._

Caleb looked up at Alex and Luke who were hovering in the door frame and wondered what had brought them here. Had they found out about the deal? Were they planning to make a scene? And where was the third member of the group? Weren’t they usually inseparable? He really didn’t have time for this. 

Caleb finally broke the silence.

“If you‘ve reconsidered your stance on joining my house band, I‘ll have you know that NOW really isn’t a good time.” He had spoken quietly but his steely tone should left them in no doubt that they weren’t welcome. And it was better to scramble before he changed his mind. 

To his annoyance they stayed put and studying them more closely he saw determination on their faces. _Just perfect,_ he thought bitterly. Steeling himself for whatever unpleasant conversation they had in store for him. 

* * *

Alex looked at the older ghost with no small degree of trepidation. Maybe confronting Caleb right after his club had been reduced to rubble hadn’t been such a good idea. He was just glad they‘d managed to talk Willie into keeping out of sight. Not that the latter had needed much persuasion; Willie was afraid of Caleb. And really, after everything that had happened, they should be, too.

Luke was the first one to speak. His one track mind and recklessness when it came to protecting the people he loved driving all other considerations out of his mind. 

“We‘re not here about your stupid band!” He answered heatedly which earned him a look of pure loathing from Caleb. 

“Then there’s really nothing to talk about. I‘ll ask you to leave now before I lose my patience and good cheer.”

Luke scoffed and Alex marveled at the complete lack of self-preservation on display. He should probably say something before this devolved into fisticuffs.

“We‘re sorry we came at such an inopportune time.” He tried to put as much politeness and sincerity into his voice as he could muster, given who he was talking to. “But we really need your help and it would be in your best interest to hear us out.”

Caleb looked at him, seeming intrigued. “Very well”, he conceded. “Proceed! But I must warn you not to waste my time.” 

The threat was evident and Alex once again wondered if coming here had been wise. But they really had no choice and the longer this was drawn out the less chance they had to get Reggie back. He took one last glance at Luke, who was still staring daggers at Caleb and began to recount the events of the previous day.

* * *

  
  



	12. Chapter 11

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Alex had been pacing up and down the room while talking. Now, that he had finished his account, he stopped and looked at Caleb who had been listening quietly. Minutes went by and still he remained silent. _The Bastard is probably enjoying this,_ he thought with contempt. Secretly, Alex was glad that Reggie had messed up Caleb’s precious club, he just hoped this little bit of revenge wouldn’t end up costing them everything. 

Alex exchanged glances with Luke who had been uncharacteristically quiet as well. Now Alex could feel his friend getting antsy again.

Finally Caleb spoke up. “So you found yourself with a little poltergeist problem. Not sure how you think I can help? Or why I should care exactly,"he sneered.

Alex took a quick glance at Luke who had tensed up. He looked ready to murder—or whatever applied if you’re opponent happened to be a ghost. He shot his friend a warning look. An altercation really wouldn’t be helpful right now.

Alex sighed. He really hoped Caleb was done posturing soon and actually had something helpful to contribute. Because if not, they had wasted precious time and who knew how much of that was left, before their friend was lost to them forever.

“We saw what happened to your club. You must realize who was responsible and what this means? And I doubt Reggie is done with you yet.” 

At Alex‘s last words he saw a brief flash of fear on Caleb‘s features. But his cold smile was quickly back in place and Alex wasn’t sure if he‘d only imagined it. Then Caleb leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together and spoke again. 

“I must admit having your little friend stir up trouble could prove … inconvenient.” He looked at them, thoughtful. “But it‘s not as easy as you think. Bringing Reggie back is even beyond my not inconsiderable power.” 

“So there’s nothing that can be done? Bringing him back is impossible? He‘s lost to us?” Luke had spoken softly, the last sentence barely a whisper. There was a look of utter hopelessness and despair on his face. 

“No, I didn’t say that,” Caleb disagreed. “It‘s not impossible, just very, very improbable.” 

* * *

Caleb kind of enjoyed dragging this out. He would probably have felt pity if that emotion was in his repertoire but as it was the only thing driving his thoughts was pure, unadulterated self-interest. As such, unfortunately, solving this problem was in his own best interest so he quickly continued: “A poltergeist is driven by whatever he is unable to resolve. If you find out what that is and help him find closure, there is a chance that you can get your friend back.”

“Though,” he added, “I only know of one case where that actually worked. And that ghost was a little girl, not a full blown hormonal teenager.” 

“And what could that be? What would he need to resolve?” It was almost cute how desperate Alex was for Caleb’s help. 

“Oh the usual." Caleb made a vague hand gesture. “Bottled up emotions, repressed rage … undisclosed desires.” He smiled coldly. “That’s really all I know. He‘s _your_ friend not mine.” 

Maybe he was petty, but he took some satisfaction from the look of despair and guilt on their faces. 

* * *

Hours after the boys had left his club, Caleb was still sitting in his chair, lost in thought. He hoped whatever soppy, hair-brained scheme they would no doubt come up with, could actually help bring back their friend from the brink of madness.

If he was being honest he didn’t much like his chances against a fully manifested poltergeist. Their chaotic power was a little too much for even him to handle. 

* * *

  
  



	13. Chapter 12

* * *

**Chapter 12**

“So he just blew a fuse and started attacking the guys?!" Flynn stared at Julie in disbelief. Julie had told Flynn what had happened, but Julie’s friend obviously had some trouble wrapping her head around the idea that the sweet, goofy, and sometimes quite clueless bassist had suddenly turned into a thing straight out of a horror movie. Not that Alex could blame her.

Julie just shrugged and pointed at the still visible signs of the chaos that Reggie’s outburst had left behind. 

While the visit to Caleb had actually given them some degree of hope, they were still at a complete loss as to how to reach out to their friend. 

“Maybe start with what we do know. What do you guys think is bothering him?” Flynn looked in the direction where she believed the boys to be. 

“Bottled up emotions and repressed rage sounds about right,” Luke mused. “What with everything that’s been going on with his family.” Julie had filled the boys in on the unexpected visit from Reggie‘s half- sister. 

He struck a chord on his guitar, playing a quiet tune so that Flynn could at least listen in on their conversation, even if she couldn’t see them.

“He must have found out about the divorce somehow. And he’s never been very open about this stuff. Not even back when it was just the three of us.” Well technically four but none of them was about to mention the lying, murdering thief. Luke shrugged helplessly. “At least we can rule out the undisclosed desires part. He‘s really an open book there,” he added with a sad smile. 

Alex looked in Luke‘s direction and frowned. He sometimes forgot how oblivious his friend could be. But that was a topic best left for another (more private) conversation. He did agree with Luke that Reggie’s family was the issue at the heart of this particular problem. And at the very least the most promising angle they had so far. 

“So, if it‘s his family that’s the problem we need to reach out to them,” Flynn suggested, reasonably. 

“Except that we can’t really be sure how he‘d react to seeing them,” Alex pointed out. 

He knew that he himself wouldn’t be thrilled to see his own family and from everything he remembered, Reggie‘s home had not exactly been a loving place either. And neither of them had actually heard of the sister that showed up out of the blue. He doubted meeting her would calm his friend down. “And even if seeing them would help, we still don’t have a clue how to find him.” 

Absentmindedly, Flynn reached out and picked up a book that was lying on a small table. Somehow, it had escaped the destruction unscathed. She opened it up and a piece of paper fell out. She snatched it out of the air before it could hit the ground and stared at it. 

“Home is Where My Horse Is,” she read aloud, chuckling quietly. Suddenly she noticed that the music had stopped. The room was unnaturally quiet. “Was it something I said?” she asked, slightly worried.

“That‘s one of Reggie’s songs,” Julie explained. “He’s obsessed with country music.”

“It‘s not half bad,” Flynn said, looking over the lyrics. Holding it up, they could see that the back of the page even included a music sheet in Reggie‘s neat handwriting. But it was only half finished. “Did you guys record this? I don’t remember ever hearing it.” 

_“_ We don’t do country,” Luke said automatically but then stopped himself and fell silent, seeing the frown on Alex’s face. 

“You know…,” Alex hesitated, then he continued, “maybe we should?”

Luke looked at him skeptically. “How exactly would that help us?” It was his turn now to frown at Alex.

“Are the guys talking?” Flynn was looking in Julie’s direction. 

Luke picked up his guitar and started playing again. “How exactly would playing that song help us with our problem,” he repeated his question for Flynn‘s benefit.

Before Alex could say anything Flynn jumped up and exclaimed. “Of course. That’s it!” She assumed correctly that she had the guys‘ attention and rushed to continue: “I mean, think about it. What’s the thing that brought you back from Caleb’s club? That night at the Orpheum!”

Alex and Luke looked at each other. “Julie singing our song” they whispered in unison.

“I mean it‘s worth a shot,” Julie said hopefully. Then another thought struck her. “If it‘s his family that Reggie needs, I‘d say the closest thing he has is us!”

* * *

  
  



	14. Chapter 13

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Destroying Caleb’s club had partially sated the fury that had coursed through him. But now the whispers had started up again, calling for chaos and destruction. 

_Where to next?_ Should he finish off his former bandmate, his _murderer_ ? Or should he visit his grandparents and let them know how he felt about their decorating choices? Pity he didn’t know where the rest of his so-called family were. _Yet_. But he would find out and then they really would wish that he‘d never been born. 

_Family._ Through the haze of anger, hurt, and untempered rage another feeling emerged: _guilt_. He‘d left Luke and Alex behind. What exactly had happened? Were they okay? He had to find out. 

* * *

They had spent the entire afternoon finishing the music to Reggie’s lyrics. Willie had joined them at some point and Julie guessed that at least Alex was drawing a lot of comfort from the presence of his boyfriend, judging from the way he looked at him. 

The song still wasn’t entirely perfect and probably never would be, without Reggie there to finish it, but Julie hoped he‘d appreciate the gesture all the same. 

Now they all stood in the studio. Flynn and Willie perched on the couch while Julie, Alex, and Luke were seated in a circle around their instruments. 

“I guess it would sound better with a banjo,” Julie said with a slight smile on her face, “but it‘s the best we could do on such short notice.”

Luke nodded. “Let‘s hope he likes it or else he‘ll be haunting us forever.” 

They all laughed. It felt good and helped them to calm their nerves. Now all they needed was for this to actually work.

“Shall we?” Alex asked and picked up his drum sticks.

* * *

He looked through the window into the brightly lit room beyond. The guys were all there and they’d even brought their extended family, Flynn and Willie. He cursed himself again for being so stupid. Of course the guys were fine without him. 

His friends were already practicing again. It clearly hadn’t taken them long to get over the loss of their bassist. Probably never really cared that he was there to begin with. Just like his parents. Just like everyone else he‘d ever cared about.

Rage flared up again, the voices in his head louder than ever and he was consumed by one thought only: _make them pay!_

* * *

The band had started playing and Flynn had to admit that she really liked the song. It wasn’t the usual _Julie and the Phantoms_ sound, nor anything she remembered hearing from _Sunset Curve,_ but it was beautiful and sad and the music they’d written worked incredibly well with Julie‘s voice. 

Suddenly the lights started flickering. “Ugh … guuuys!” Flynn exclaimed, “I think Reggie is here!”

The air around them shifted, the room had gotten darker, colder. A terrible thought crossed Flynn’s mind: _What if Reggie was so far gone that Julie and the others wouldn’t actually get through to him?_

A gust of wind blew through the room, pots and books were once again knocked from their shelves. The air had grown so cold it hurt. Suddenly, the lights went out. 

The last rays of the afternoon sun shone through the windows illuminating the room and the figure that had suddenly appeared in it. Reggie hung suspended in mid-air, around him a maelstrom of flying flower pots, books, and paper. His eyes were pitch black. 

_Perhaps they hadn‘t thought this through._

Flynn sprang up from the couch and stared at the apparition utterly terrified. Logically she had understood what had been happening to Reggie, but seeing him like this was so much worse than she could ever have imagined. 

She noticed a presence beside her. Julie had appeared next to her, looking up at Reggie with tears in her eyes. She‘d stopped singing. Flynn reached out and took her hand. Trying to give her friend every ounce of courage she could muster. 

* * *

Alex and Luke stared at Reggie then back at each other. This new development had left them speechless and in shock. 

_The music had stopped_.

Alex couldn’t believe that this _thing_ had once been his best friend.

Luke was the first to shake himself out of his trance. “We have to keep playing! _”_ he shouted over the noise in the room. “Whatever you do, just keep playing! _”_ Then he took up his guitar and crossed the room to stand directly beneath Reggie, still suspended in mid-air. 

Alex felt a hand on his shoulder. Willie stood behind him giving him a reassuring smile. Alex smiled back tentatively, exhaled to steady himself, and began to play. 

Julie, too, took a deep breath and started to sing, her eyes locked on Reggie. 

Lifers and ghosts alike all focused on the figure in the air, while Julie, Luke, and Alex sang their hearts out.

And then, Alex noticed a change. Reggie’s eyes had turned back to their natural green, tears were streaming down his face. 

* * *

Luke had noticed the change as well. _It’s now or never!_ He reached out and grabbed Reggie’s ankle, pulling him down towards him. For a terrifying second, he thought it wouldn’t work but then he had Reggie in his arms, hugging him tightly. 

“Please, please, please come back to us,” He whispered into his friend’s ear. “You’re our family, Reg.”

He felt Alex behind him, then Julie, Flynn, and Willie were there as well, enveloping Reggie who went slack in Luke’s arms. 

The lights flickered back on, the storm subsided, books, ceramic, and paper falling down all around them. The spell was broken. 

* * *

The group of friends stepped back to give Luke and Reggie some space.

"Does this mean it’s over?” Alex asked into the silence. 

Willie looked at him, slowly shaking his head. “I don’t think so. You brought him back … but whatever caused this, it still needs to be resolved.” 

“So,” Luke swallowed, “we could still lose him?” He stared at the friend lying motionless in his arms, gripping him tighter. Without him needing to breathe, it was hard to tell, but he just had to trust that Reggie would be fine, _for now._

Somebody coughed and he looked up towards the sound. Flynn was standing next to Julie, their hands still intertwined. She was looking directly at him and Willie. 

“Not that I mind or anything, but should I be able to see you guys? Because I do and it‘s kinda freaking me out! _”_

_The End (for now)_

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I finally managed to post this monster. Thank you everyone who stuck around to read this and thank you all so much for your wonderful comments!
> 
> I hope you're okay with where I left off. I do know there is a version of that song out and 'sad' is not exactly the way to describe it. But that part was already written and I didn't have the heart to change it. So this is the AU where 'Home is Where My Horse is' is a very emotional and heartbreaking country ballad- I have no regrets. 
> 
> As I said in the beginning, this story is a little open-ended. That's because there are going to be two sequels. One is already finished and will be posted after the Beta is done and the third I'm currently in the process of writing. So if you guys liked this story, I hope you enjoy the follow-up as well.
> 
> Finally, thanks again to the wonderful Yeoyou for bringing this show to my attention and for supporting me in this fanfic endeavor.


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